Ubuntu for idiots - like me

I recently installed ubuntu on one of my PCs on the advice of a friend who is a programmer. "Its better than Windows, more stable, no need for anti-virus, Microsoft is a profiteering monster etc."
There si no doubt that ubuntu is very good generally but I am really struggling with a few crucial things. "Check out the forums" I hear you say. But frankly its all complete jibberish to me. I can make a PC work and use all the applications I have, but frankly, apart from the obvious bits, I don't know one end of it from another. I have looked for similar questions to mine on the forums but I don't understand the answers. Going into the terminal and putting in commands terrifies me. I use my PC for a small business transfering music etc from vinyl and cassette to CD or mp3. In Windows I used a brilliant application called NCH Wavepad, a single stereo track recorder with all the functions I need. But I can find anything equivalent for ubuntu. I have no idea what wine is, what jack is, or any of the technical stuff. I don't know what deb is or trg gz, I can't even download software properly. I have Audacity which looks like it should do the job but every time I click on the record button it tells me there is an "error opening the sound device" and to "check the input device setting and the project sample rate". I haven't a clue what that means or where to start fixing it. Also I can't use the new 20in monitor because my graphics card doesn't support it (I think, but am not sure), I'm told I need to download a new driver but have completely failed to find one.
If I pay for something I can expect technical support and advice and for the item to be fixed or replaced if it doesn't work. I really like the idea and philosophy of free software/shareware but understandably there is no technical support and no one to fix it if it doesn't work. My friend has come round a couple of times and sorted some things out for me e.g. it wouldn't run the videos on Youtube. He spent ages in terminal looking for the source of the problem, muttered about why Flashplayer was not working properly and eventually fixed it. But it took him ages. I hadn't a hope in hell of sorting that out and I can't ask him to fix everything for me.
I also haven't the time to learns all this new stuff, I'm running a business, I just want it to work like now. I've reluctantly come to the conclusion that ubuntu is for the computer "cognicenti" and completely beyond a total computer illiterate like me. It was worth a try but sadly its back to Microsoft for me.